2024: The year of the (wo)man?

The defeat of Kamala Harris has signalled that the nation would rather choose a man convicted of 34 felony counts than elect a female President.

The 1991 Senate Confirmation of Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill’s hearings triggered an increase in female candidates entering Congress in the 1992 election. The introduction of four female Senators saw 1992 coined the ‘Year of the Woman.’

Yet, despite this boost in female leadership – also paving ways for future Congresswomen – no other year except 2024 should be called the ‘year of the woman.’

Well, this was what I believed before the 5th of November election result this year. I cannot say the same now writing this on the 6th of November. 

Kamala Harris has redefined womanhood in America. She has reclaimed it. She has celebrated it. And most importantly, she has fought for it in the face of polarisation and partisanship. 

Despite her mobilisation and calls for women to vote, vote, vote, white American females didn’t “save the day” like Liz Cheney predicted. 

Overall, according to NBC exit polls, 52% of white American women voted for Trump. Despite Harris’ campaign targeting the “silent majority” of women who shielded their political views from their husbands, 48% of white women voted for her. Only 48%. 

This contrasted significantly with 91% of Black female voters voting for Harris and merely 7% voting for Trump.

Black female activism has historically been at the core of political campaigning for the Democrats. And this held true in 2024. 

Wendy Smooth, professor of women’s gender and sexuality studies at Ohio State University summarised the mobilisation of Black female voters perfectly in an interview with USA Today. 

“The consistency and the reliability of African American women support and their ability to show up and show up in massive numbers in support of Democratic Party politics, in support of democracy, is indelible.

“Black women do what they say they are going to do, and when they say they’re going to show up, they show up.’’

However, the defeat of Harris has signalled that the nation would rather choose a man convicted of 34 felony counts than elect a female President. What kind of message do you think that is sending to young female leaders across America? 

This prompted me to reflect on the 56% of young men who voted for Trump, exposing the Harris campaign’s failure to mobilise young male voters and include them in her campaign. 

Contrastingly, Trump’s populist messaging and appearance on the far-right comedian’s podcast The Joe Rogan Show resonated with young men as he weaponised their atomism from the Democrat Party. 

Jackson Katz in an interview with NPR clearly captured this phenomena, stating, “[Trump’s] message being sent to young men was, ‘I see you, I care about you and the other side thinks you’re all toxic’.”

This brings me to Trump and his appeal amongst the American populace. What has Trump even done for women, besides violate them? 

Well, not only has he violated women’s bodily autonomy, reinvigorated hate speech, committed countless felonies, relentlessly attacked immigrants and people of colour – I paused myself in my tracks. 

We know Trump’s ‘list’ goes on, but so could mine. For your sake, I’ll continue with my argument. 

Reflecting on Trump’s comments over the years have deeply disturbed me. But what shocked me even more was America’s collective national revisionism. Specifically, the way the nation has actively ‘forgotten’ or chosen to ignore his abhorrent comments. 

Let me refresh your memory. 

Trump tweeted in April of 2015, “If Hillary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America #MakeAmericaGreatAgain.”

To a female contestant on the Celebrity Apprentice show in 2013 he stated, “It must be a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees.”

His xenophobic labelling of immigrants in America as “blood thirsty criminals”, “most violent people on earth”, “rapists” and more. I hesitated, startled. It is almost the way that I would describe Trump myself. 

Let’s also not forget the barrage of insults he hurled at Harris during this election. Ranging from calling her “lazy”, “dumber than hell”, “degenerate”, “grossly incompetent”. I could go on and on but I won’t. 

And what did he get in return? Victory and triumph in the form of 295 delegates. 

Let me reiterate again. America chose a rapist, a xenophobe, a racist and an extremely divisive FELON over a woman. Let that sink in. 

I found myself possibly speechless as I watched the map become engulfed in red. 

The rally cry to women across America felt palpable throughout Harris’ campaign. Whether it was on KamalaHQ’s TikTok account or the adverts urging women to place their own vote and not their husbands’. This female enfranchisement was physically manifested at the Women’s March in Washington D.C. on the 2nd of November. Women of all ages, ethnicities, sexualities and races united together to advocate for basic reproductive rights. 

“Vote to combat unwanted presidencies.” 

“We are not ovary-acting.”

The ongoing messages from the Harris campaign felt omnipresent. We heard, lived and felt the rally cry that we will not go back. 

I feel devastated writing this now knowing that we indeed have. 

At Howard University this afternoon, Harris stated in her concession speech: “The light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting”. 

America had their second opportunity to elect a female President. I guess the third must be a charm. 

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Written by

Belle Whitehouse

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